Triumphant
by Ningan the Lone Ninja
Summary: While Ningan is imprisoned for his crimes, Lamatte embarks on a spiritual journey of his own, in order to look for meaning. He enters the Derresse Annual Adventure Tour, a horseback race which covers an entire country, in the hope of winning big money. But by the end, Lamatte realises the true value of friendship and perseverance.


Triumphant

A Meadow White horse crossed the horizon, which consisted of raw red rock dazzled with sunlight. For almost three days, he had galloped across plains, panted up plateaus, and all for the sake of his master. But still, love drove him on.

His master, Lamatte, was a relatively young man who wore a simple grey tunic. Though, for such a plain looking man, he certainly had a valiant past. Once, he had been a Commanding Knight of the Royal Hylian Forces. But over time, he had slipped, and fallen into an addiction. Now, Lamatte was trying to amend himself and the damage he had caused.

"Aurarius! Slow down!" he called to the horse, who immediately obeyed. Ahead of them, they saw steam rising from a circle of rocks. Aurarius trotted closer and eventually halted at a beautiful hot spring, with water that reflected the red sunlight.

Lamatte dismounted, and removed his boots. He dunked one foot into the water, and the throbbing blisters and bruises were suddenly relieved. "Come in!" he called to Aurarius.

His horse, however, was reluctant to relax. Lamatte understood this, and went to remove the luggage he carried on his back. Now that the load had vanished, Aurarius crept forward, and placed his hooves into the water. Lamatte, knowing that his steed was content, shed the rest of his clothes and submerged himself in the warmth of the spring.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of clopping; hooves approaching. He looked to Aurarius, who did not stir. Lamatte paddled behind his horse and submerged all but his eyes. Soon, two horses came into view: one was a brick red Lokai, the other was a bay grey.

"Ooh, look Stephano!" cried the one on the grey Lokai. "A hot spring! I haven't been in one of them for a while!"

"Well you'll just have to wait a little while longer, Newton." said Stephano. They continued to trot until the red Lokai was pulled backwards, and neighed in protest. Stephano pointed to the spring and called out. "Is that...a Meadow White?!"

The grey Lokai also stopped to see what the fuss was about. "Yes, Stephano...it appears to be unaccompanied."

Unexpectedly, Stephano leapt down from his horse and approached it eagerly. Lamatte crept further back behind the rocks to observe, but not to be observed. Stephano appeared to be smaller than he was, but taller than his companion. He wore a glittering red waistcoat which sparkled in the twilight, and glossy brown hair, which he tied back. He began to caress Aurarius's mane, but Aurarius did not respond.

"This would make the perfect show horse for the tournament, Newton." Stephano said. "I must have it."

"I do not advise you to steal other people's horses, Stephano." his companion replied. "What would your parents think?"

"I don't care what my parents would think!" he snapped. "Besides, my parents would let me have anything I wanted."

"But this horse must belong to somebody." sighed Newton. "I mean, look at how clean its coat is."

"Well, there's nobody here to claim it, so finders-keepers." Stephano pulled on the reigns of the horse, but Aurarius cried out. Stephano continued to tug until a hoof kicked him sharply in the shin. He fell back into the water, and Lamatte tried to restrain his laughter.

Newton jumped down from his horse and rushed over to see to his friend. "Stephano, are you alright?!"

"Get off me, you buffoon, I'm fine!" Stephano snapped, shoving Newton away. "This horse is out of control! I do not want a horse that does not obey its master!"

He stood up, and brushed the dirt off his ruby waistcoat, before returning to his own horse. Newton followed him without command, and they climbed onto their horses and trotted away. Lamatte then waded out of the hot spring, and took his clothes,

"I wonder just where those idiots are headed?" he asked Aurarius. Again, he did not reply, but Lamatte rewarded him with food after he sorted Stephano out. "I heard them mention a 'tournament'. It sounds like fun."

Once dressed, he reattached the luggage to the saddle. Lamatte mounted Aurarius again and they followed the hoof prints that were left in the red sand.

The sun had long since set and the sand had turned from a rusty red to an iron brown. Aurarius had slowed to a trot in order for Lamatte's to scan his surroundings. He removed a compass from his belt and held it up to the moonlight. They were heading south; without a map, that was all they knew. When the Resistance had disbanded, Edgar, the royal tutor, had taken the map. Lamatte had been left with Aurarius, a compass and a caravan. He had since sold the caravan in order to pay debts. Now, he regretted not having a place to sleep.

The needle of the compass began to twist and turn. Lamatte watched, fascinated, as the direction swayed from west to east. What sort of phenomenon was this? As he raised his head, he sighted an array of red buildings below them. A village. At last, somewhere civilised. Lamatte flicked the reigns and Aurarius galloped towards the small settlement on the slope.

As Aurarius approached the village, the ground evened out, and there were even a few paving stones. The first building was a small wooden shack with a torch so close to it, the whole structure could have ignited. Lamatte presumed that this was a stable, and dismounted Aurarius to guide him inside.

He was indeed correct: within the shack were many horse, all tied to one of the random wooden posts which supported the roof. There were Stallions, Palominos and Friesians, all snoozing together. Lamatte cautiously crept by, and found a space for his own horse, beside a chestnut Yili horse.

As he tied Aurarius to the post, he heard the snorting of another horse nearby. It was the same brick red Lokai they had met previously. Aurarius did not stir, yet Lamatte stroked him all the same. "Don't worry." he reassured his steed. "I'm going to find an inn...maybe even one of Wickson's hotels. I'll be back by the morning to collect you."

He left Aurarius in the dark, surrounded by many of his own kind, yet he still looked lonely. Lamatte smiled and left the building, only to be confronted by a gigantic mass of rock. It was a Goron, wearing a pointy red hat, smiling down at him. After Lamatte had recovered from shock, he smiled back.

"Greetings, horse rider!" he said deeply. "Would you be interested in taking part in the Derresse Annual Adventure Tour?"

The enthusiastic Goron thrust a paper flyer into Lamatte's hands, which he carefully read:

_The Derresse Adventure Tour-the greatest horse race in the world!_

_Whatever Age, whatever Gender, whatever nationality; join the adventure! The rules are simple: start at the Mining Village and reach the City of Honour within a week! If you win first place, you could win the Triumph Trophy and 3000 Rupees! To reserve your place, register at the Rusty Pick Inn before the race begins!_

"So, will you test your horse riding abilities, sir?" the Goron asked, pleadingly.

"I suppose I'll try it out, yeah." Lamatte said coolly. "Besides, it's not about winning...it's about taking part."

"And survival." piped the Goron. He glance either side of him before leaning over Lamatte. "Don't say I told you this, but...this race isn't about glory. This race is to test your loyalty."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't tell you! I might lose my job!" he hissed. "But remember what I said. You will have to make choices if you want to win...but the biggest choice of all will be decided at the finish line. So...do you still want to take part?"

"Of course!" he said. "I'm not going to throw away 3000 Rupees. Besides, what's life without a little risk?"

"Don't say I didn't warn you..." the Goron muttered, before returning to his positive tone. "The Rusty Pick Inn is just down the street! Good Luck!"

The Goron curled up into a boulder with a red hat, and rolled along the paving stones, towards the Rusty Pick Inn: a small building with a green, metallic roof with paper lanterns and banners hanging from it. Lamatte considered the words of warning from the smiling Goron, before folding the flyer into his pocket and proceeding to the inn.

The sun streamed through the dusty windows onto Lamatte's bed in the Rusty Pick Inn. He awoke to the sound of commotion downstairs, and remembered the oncoming tournament. Lamatte strolled towards a cracked mirror on the wall and saw his dirty brown face staring back. He needed to look presentable. He was a Commanding Knight of the Royal Hylian Forces. He found his luggage bag and unbuckled the strap. Inside was his abandoned armour. It still glinted in the sunlight, despite its months of neglect. Lamatte grinned and dressed quickly. In the mirror, he now saw a dashing young knight, ready to take on the world.

It was in the dining hall of the inn that he soon realised that the Rusty Pick was also a restaurant. The familiar paper lanterns hung from the ceiling and neat varnished tables dotted the room, but each were hidden by the mass of many people, either chatting amongst each other and fighting for food. Lamatte wandered in between the crowds to the buffet table and took a clean white plate. Nearby, he heard a man and a woman discussing.

"Oh yeah, I saw that Meadow White." the man nodded. He wore a brown hat, with a rim that overshadowed his face. He was talking to a woman with blonde pigtails resting on each of her shoulders.

"It's gorgeous, isn't it?" she grinned. "I'm so jealous of its owner!"

"That would be me." said Lamatte, stepping into the conversation. The man tilted his hat and glared at him. The girl's eyes twinkling with astonishment.

"Y-you own that Meadow White?"

"Yeah; his name's Aurarius." Lamatte smiled. "What about you?"

"Oh, me and my brother are sharing a horse." she explained. "It's a yellow Walkaloosa, nothing special. Jerry steers the horse, and I operate weaponry from the chariot."

"Weaponry?"

"Oh yes, you'll need weapons if you want to overcome these trials." explained Jerry. "That's why it's best to go in pairs. That way, I can look after Sanctus while Bella takes down the opposition."

"Sanctus is the name of our horse." Bella whispered.

"Wow...I didn't realise things were going to get aggressive..." Lamatte sighed. "Lucky I brought my sword. My name's Lamatte, by the way. Commanding Knight of the Royal Hylian Forces." It had been a while since he had addressed himself by his full title. It felt like his identity was coming back to him.

"That sounds important." Bella chuckled. "What are you doing taking part in a silly horse race like this?"

"It's just something I've always wanted to do." he said, scratching his head. "I'm actually searching for some friends that I fell out with a long time ago."

"Oh, I am sorry about that." Bella said sympathetically.

Suddenly, the doors of the restaurant crashed open and a dazzling ruby waistcoat burst in, followed by a man in a rather less glittery white tunic. The crowd in the restaurant stopped to stare.

"I told you to wake me up at six, Newton!" Stephano roared to his accomplice.

Newton was tottering along the floor, struggling with a giant wooden crate. "I did, Stephano, but you were very stubborn!"

"It's seven o'clock!" Stephano hissed, and grabbed a clean plate from the rack. "I'm going to late for the race."

"You're actually just on time." said a stern voice. The crowd turned from the disruption to the source of authority. It was a short woman with giant glasses and short white hair. She held a clipboard in her right hand and a quill in her left. The woman glided forward and the gathering of racers parted. "For those of you who don't know, my name is Vivian Victorian." she spoke sharply. "That's Mrs Victorian to you."

She was interrupted by the sound of munching from within the crowd. Her silver eyes pierced through the crowd and glared at Stephano, who was still eating. At the sight of her pursed lips, he stopped and the attention was drawn back to her.

"As I was saying, I am the manager of this inn, and the organiser of this race. The race will begin shortly outside on the road, where a line has been drawn to mark your starting blocks. If anyone is found crossing that line before the starting horn sounds, you'll be automatically disqualified. Now, I suggest that you finish your meals as quickly as possible and collect your horses from the stable. Once every person has been checked off my list, the race will begin. Don't keep me waiting."

Mrs Victorian turned on her heel and marched out of the doors to the restaurant. The crowd slowly adjusted to the original noise and were all gossiping excitedly about the forthcoming race.

"I suppose I had better go and fetch Aurarius." said Lamatte, and placed his empty plate in a nearby sink before waving goodbye to Jerry and Bella. As he approached the doors, he spotted Stephano scoffing his toast, and they glanced coldly at each other until Lamatte departed for the stable.

Within minutes, the cramped wooden stable had emptied. Twenty or more horses, ranging from solid Grays to common brown Palominos to the sunny yellow Walkaloosa, which Lamatte identified as Sanctus, the horse that belonged to his competitors Jerry and Bella. Lamatte led his own Meadow White across the roads to ready him for the race. Despite his repetitive apologies, Aurarius would not forgive him for abandoning him in such awful conditions.

Together, they appeared at the starting line. Although all human, each contestant was different; from a tubby jockey who was helped onto his horse by two servants, to a woman wearing a silk red scarf and a scarlet feather in her hair. She saw Lamatte and winked before boarding the saddle. He chose his position beside Sanctus, and found Bella attaching a wooden chariot to the back of the reigns.

"Oh, hey Lamatte!" she smiled. "I see your horse is looking splendid!"

"Thanks," Lamatte said, stroking his mane. "Though I don't think he feels it. Where's Jerry?"

"Oh, he likes to perform a few rituals before races." Bella said in a hushed tone. "I think a lucky charm would do the job, but he prefers to do the whole prayer."

She pointed to the front of the horse, where Lamatte found Jerry placing a bronze necklace over Sanctus's neck. He then knelt down and spoke softly for s few moments before rising and approaching the chariot.

"Is the cannon working?" Jerry asked. "Do you have the ammunition?"

"Of course!" Bella laughed. "Do you think I'm incapable?"

"I wouldn't doubt it." he answered dryly, and turned to Lamatte. "I wish you luck. I would offer you one of my charms, but I appear to have run out." Jerry held out his hand kindly, and Lamatte shook it.

The union was disrupted by the clopping of more hooves. Lamatte turned to find the brick red Lokai striding to the starting line. Stephano's smug face was steering the reigns, while Newton was waddling beside it, still carrying the mysterious wooden crate. When their eyes found Lamatte, Stephano chortled.

"It looks like the Gold Knight has come unprepared! Not much of a fighter, are you?"

"This isn't a battle," he replied coolly. "It's a horse race. Get over it."

"That's what you think, fool." Stephano sneered. "You'll need more than your horse to win this contest. Fortunately, I have my secret weapon." His heavy hand patted the wooden crate and he laughed harder. "But where are my manners?" He then held out his hand to shake. Lamatte did not remove his gaze from Stephano's grin, but shook his hand still. "Good sport. Come on Laurus"

Stephano mounted his horse and waited for the wooden crate to be placed on the floor beside him. He then gave a gesture which signified Newton's dismissal, and Newton vanished. The ominous sound of heels was heard as Mrs Victorian snaked through the crowd with her clipboard. She stopped near the group and examined them with her silver gaze. "Names?"

"Stephano." He spoke before the others could exhale. She ticked him off the list and waited for the others. "Lamatte." "Bella." "Jerry." Once the list was complete, Mrs Victorian slithered away without a farewell to join a tall Goron with a pointed red hat at the edge of the starting line. The others waited awkwardly until she spun round to face the contestants.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." Mrs Victorian called fiercely. "The race is about to start. I trust that all of you are positioned where you must be, and are not an inch past the starting line. The instructions, should you have forgotten, are very clear. Depart from the Mining Village and head east towards the City of Honour, where you must cross the finishing line at my husband's hotel; _The Joyous Lantern_."

"However, there will be trials which you must overcome in order to win. We cannot guide you on these tasks, but there will be Goron assistants positioned at designated refreshment points, located shortly after each trial, where your horse may drink and you may rest. We will also offer you a map of Derrese, labeling the direct path from here to the City."

The Goron stumbled through the crowd of horses, passing a piece of rolled up parchment to each contestant. Lamatte received his and nodded his thanks to teh Goron. The Goron stared plainly at him and moved on.

"The trial will take place over a week. By then, the winner should have claimed victory, and any stragglers will have lost. If you do not return within a week, we will not come and find you. Once you leave this village, you are responsible for your own safety-and one another. Although the bullying of other contestants is frowned upon, we will not be there to pick up the pieces. You must take care of yourself and your horse."

Stephano repeated his hideous grin, which Lamatte chose to ignore, and instead glanced at the woman in the red scarf, though she was watching Mrs Victorians lips eagerly with the rest of the crowd.

"So without further ado, let the race begin!"

A cannon beside her fired and sent a ball of fire into the air, which exploded into a giant red firework. The horses immediately began to gallop down the road of the village, cheered by the few residents which line the streets with banners. Lamatte watched as Jerry and Bella shot off, followed by the scarf woman. Aurarius, instinctively, accelerated and caught up with the others.

But Laurus and Stephano soon advanced and waved antagonistically, before they were joined by a grey Lokai, ridden by Newton, who also grinned slyly. Lamatte was disgusted at how they had already cheated the rules by leaving Newton unregistered, but continued to ride into the valley.

The crashing of hooves on the rock, the clouds of dust which erupted with every gallop, the cheering and jeering of every single contestant. Beyond the harmony of the Mining Village, it was mayhem.

Already, riders had begun to hinder each other, and many different methods were used. Lamatte twice avoided the plump man, whose horse had been fitted with various sharp objects, so that any horse who shunted into them would be jabbed, and knocked back. But still, he and Aurarius rode on, non-stop.

Ahead, they faced the steep slope of a canyon, with a red flag billowing from the top. He presumed that they were nearing the first trial, and focused on the bold fabric, ignoring the havoc around him.

Suddenly, the overcast sky above them split and rained down upon the dusty mass below. This did not stop the intense sprinting of the horses, but the riders knew what was coming.

"It's okay, Aurarius," Lamatte panted. "I'm sure you can handle this!"

The stiff clay rock melted in the raindrops, and turned to thick brown mud. The whole pack slowed down as their hooves became caught in the ground. Some saw this as an opportunity, and Lamatte spotted one pair filling a bucket with water and chucking it over those behind them. Aurarius also saw this, and felt a little uncomfortable. Lamatte noticed, and reassured his steed.

"Aurarius, it's just rain! It's nothing to be afraid of!"

As soon as he spoke, he regretted it. The pack had approached the ascent which they had seen from the village. It once was a strong, steady slant; now, it was a slope of slimy sludge which was slowly sliding down the side of the canyon towards them.

"Landslide!" somebody called from the front. The alarm startled everybody, and some were galloping too fast to stop. Lamatte braked beside the woman in the scarlet scarf. She glanced from him to the mountain and yelled. "Folia, reverse!"

Her horse, a ginger Barb horse, snorted ferociously, but obeyed her, trotting backwards gracefully. Lamatte realised that Aurarius and he was in danger, and pulled on the reigns. Mimicking Folia, the Meadow White reversed as the mud cascaded down the surface of the slope.

Before them, horses and riders were drowned in the unexpected landslide. Aurarius was terrified, and Lamatte was stunned. Then, Folia and her mistress sprinted, galloping elegantly and carelessly through the crowd of confused competitors. The scarlet scarf woman laughed as she passed the red flag, and did not look back. Lamatte watched astounded, until he and Aurarius did the same thing, and passed the many trapped horses.

"Aren't you going to get me out?!" he heard Stephano hissing to Newton, who was examining the solidity of the mud cautiously.

He spotted Jerry and Bella, who had dismounted their horse and were trying to lift the chariot from the mud. Lamatte stopped, and kindly stepped down from his horse in order to help. Bella brushed back her hair and smiled as the three of them heaved the wooden cart and freed it from the sticky slide.

"Thanks, Lamatte." said Bella, and hopped back into the chariot.

"I will not forget this!" Jerry called, and Sanctus rode again through the pouring rain.

Lamatte mounted Aurarius once more and watched Newton pushing Laurus's immense weight, which was worsened by a stubborn Stephano, who refused to let his shiny boots touch the sludge. "Lamatte, my friend!" he called, forcing a smile. "Would you mind helping me out of this mess?"

Lamatte gave him a look of utter disgust, and galloped up the slope, and passed the red flag. Through the rain, he could just see Stephano's grumpy snarl, which made him feel even more confident as Aurarius proceeded over the canyon puddles.

It took some time for Lamatte to realise what had just happened. Thanks to the landslide, he and Aurarius had gained a lead in the race, which they would have otherwise struggled to catch up. Was this the first trial that they had to overcome? Surely not.

The only other racers were Jerry and Bella, who remained unfased by the obstacle, and continued to ride with confidence. The scarlet scarf woman was nowhere to be seen; so far ahead that the drizzle hid her from sight. She was responsible for giving Lamatte the initial idea of avoiding the landslide, and for that, he must thank her.

The view beyond them became clouded by a damp mist, so Aurarius slowed to a gentle gallop. Ahead, the three riders could see a flat wall of rock, and they heard the tremendous roar of rushing water. As they approached, the view became clear, and so did the first trial: an enormous waterfall towered over them, showering them with a cool spray.

"Elevant Falls!" called Jerry. "They're a popular attraction in Derresse!"

Aurarius and Sanctus both halted at the base of the falling river, in order to plan their crossing. The water crashed into a rippling pool, which looked deep enough to drown them all. There was a rock poking out of the water, which was shiny and soaked.

"I think I can see the red flag..." Jerry called, squinting his eyes in the mist. "Atop the bluff."

"And how do you suppose we get up there?" Bella asked, with her arms folded.

Lamatte was also considering this conundrum. The scarlet scarf woman must have already passed this test, as she was still nowhere to be seen. He looked to Aurarius for advice, but his eyes remained transfixed on the immense waterfall, but gazed through it transparently, as though it wasn't there. Lamatte sighed, and scanned the wall of rock. There were some convenient ledges placed all over the cliff, which offered answers.

"We'll have to climb." he concluded, and pointed to the glistening rock in the centre of the pool. "We could reach the other side of the pool and use the ledges."

The others looked uncertain, and stared at him in puzzlement. Lamatte needed to take the first step to prove that his proposal was possible, so Aurarius leapt onto the rock and then to the other side. From there, he had a clearer view of the cliff he was about to ascend. The ledges were in fact made of wood, which had become dampened and rotten. Lamatte's courage was fading, but he refused to let it show in front of the siblings. Instead, he and Aurarius walked up the convinient ramp and leapt onto the wooden platform. It shuddered slightly, but otherwise, remained stable.

The siblings cheered, and Sanctus galloped forward heroically. He landed on the rock as the chariot left the ground. Bella gripped the handles as the wooden car crashed onto the rock. It was going to be a tricky ascent for her.

Lamatte continued to guide Aurarius behind the roaring rush of water. Every wooden plank creaked with his delicate hooves, but Lamatte was certain that they had almost made it to the top. Below him, he could see Jerry and Bella, ascending the cliff cautiously. Then, he heard a splash.

Far below them, the plump man had attempted to leap onto the central rock, and slipped off his saddle straight into the depths of the pool. "Help!" he called, panicking. "I can't swim!"

"Oh, move it fatty!" Stephano snarled, and heaved him from the water, only to throw him aside into the mud. The man's horse remained cowering on the rock, only to be forced back onto the edge of the pool by Laurus's might. Newton and his horse followed behind, laughing at the mud-caked rider attempting to mount his horse once more.

Laurus halted on the first wooden ramp, as Stephano gazed up and saw Lamatte near the top. "I had wondered where you had gotten to!"

With a sharp kick, Laurus leapt over the pool and onto the wooden platform, and began to climb rapidly, so that Newton was left behind. It was clear that the other racers had managed to escape the landslide and were advancing closer. Bella and Jerry realised this, and pointed their cannon towards Stephano.

"You've got a long way to go!" Bella jeered, and a jet of water squirted from the barrel of the cannon, drenching Stephano and his horse, so that the platform wobbled uncertainly. Lamatte laughed in disbelief.

"Oh, so is that how you wanna play?" hissed Stephano, wiping the droplets from his face. Laurus reared and then began to pelt across the wooden ledges. Jerry quickly steered Sanctus higher up the cliff and the race was on.

Lamatte watched the action unfold, as Stephano raged furiously after Bella, who was still squirting from her cannon. Newton wasn't far behind, but suddenly, a plank splintered and fell into the pool below. The bridge was collapsing!

Newton yelped, and his horse galloped faster across the platforms. Stephano was still enraged, and was too busy chasing the siblings to notice the danger. Lamatte glanced upwards and saw the red flag. He was just a few feet away, and he knew if he waited any longer, the platform Aurarius stood on would crack like the others.

They galloped across the final ledge and up a steep ramp until they reached the flag, claiming victory over the first trial. Before continuing, Lamatte chose to observe the chase. Newton's horse had stepped on one platform too many, and they both fell sideways into the waterfall, where they were consumed in the veil of noise. Sanctus had arrived at the steep ramp, but was too exhausted to climb it. Stephano spotted Newton's absence, and shrieked at the sight of the falling wood. Laurus accelerated.

"Lamatte!" Jerry called. "Help us up!"

Lamatte was desperately searching for some rope or cable which could hoist a horse up a cliff, but all he could see was the drop of the waterfall. Instinctively, he heaved the flagpole from the banks of the river, and retrieved a piece of veg from his backpack that he had been saving for Aurarius. Aurarius sniffed the food and pretended not to care before Lamatte planted it on the end of the flagpole and baited it for Sanctus. Sanctus sniffed the veg and was given one last surge of energy to climb the ramp. He nibbled on the vegetable once he had made it to the top, and Jerry patted him with pride.

"He would do anything for food." he laughed, and then peered over the edge. Laurus and Stephano were still advancing, leaving a trail of destruction behind them.

"Hurry up!" Bella screamed. Jerry obeyed and Sanctus galloped onward. Lamatte and Aurarius stayed to watch the panic on Stephano's face. When he did eventually make it, the path was no more. He was left panting with relief, while Lamatte grinned smugly at him.

"Congratulations, you just destroyed the first trial." he laughed.

Stephano snarled and straightened himself. "None of this would have happened if it wasn't for your girlfriend's little toy! Just wait until you see my weapon of mass destruction!"

Stephano and Laurus galloped after Bella and Jerry leaving Lamatte and Aurarius standing on top of the waterfall, holding a flagpole. Lamatte planted it back into the mud and murmured to his steed; "They haven't won yet."

From the high vantage point, they could see the afternoon sun which had banished the rain and the overcast skies. The land was fairly flat from here on, and Lamatte could see the shadows of Stephano, Bella and Jerry sprinting into the distance. But it was a metallic red roof beside the river which caught his eye, and with a jolt of the reigns, he and Aurarius galloped towards it.

There was a wooden bridge crossing the fast flowing river with a roof climbing over it. On the bridge, two giant Gorons stood beside a trough of food and a few barrels. When Lamatte approached, their expressions lifted.

"Welcome to Elevant Bridge!" said the first, and clapped his huge palms clumsily. "This is the first stop for you to take a drink in the river and a few bites from the trough. I'm referring to your horse, of course!"

Lamatte dismounted his steed and allowed Aurarius to nibble at the contents of the trough, which was crunchy and dry thanks to the artistic red roof.

"Where are the others?" the other Goron asked, concerned.

"The path up the waterfall has collapsed." Lamatte explained.

"So soon?" the Goron gasped. "We expected at least ten of you to make it before that happened."

"The landslide swept most of the contestants away." He informed the two Gorons about the unfortunate incident in the valley.

"That's sad...but that's life I suppose." the first Goron sighed. "You did well to make it here. There's not much to do, but make yourself at home!"

Lamatte took the opportunity to open up his piece of parchment from his backpack. Fortunately, the map was also dry and he found the black line which was _Elevant River_. As his finger traced the line, Lamatte watched it vanish into the side of the mountain. The point was labelled _Goron Caverns_.

"That's your next stop!" chirped the joyful Goron behind him. "It's our home! There are beds, food and stables so you can prepare yourself for the second day!"

Lamatte nodded, and rolled the map up once more. He wondered just how the rest of the contestants were going to reach Goron Caverns if the path had been destroyed...unless there was another way round?

Aurarius finished his meal, while Lamatte was left starving. In his backpack, he had a few sandwiches which he had taken from the Rusty Pick Inn, but he needed to save them for the rest of the week. Lamatte mounted Aurarius and said farewell to the Gorons before continuing on their journey. Since they had stopped, the others were completely out of sight. he only thing ahead of them was the red summit blazing in the sunlight.

Shrouded in the mist of the waterfall, Newton and his horse, Fulgaria, were drying off beside the pool. His clothes were soaked, and the cold made him shiver all over. Fulgaria occasionally rubbed her snout against his hair, and he stroked it unconsciously. The platforms had fallen and he was drenched to the bone. There was no way up, and for him, the contest was over...all thanks to Stephano.

The plump rider who Newton had watched being thrown in the mud and laughed at, dismounted his horse and approached him.

"Well, now you and me are on the same horse." he winked. Newton glanced up and saw his rosy red cheeks and cheery green eyes. "My name's Julius, and this is my horse, Vinia."

Vinia was a silver spotted Walkaloosa, who was not too different to Fulgaria. Newton glared at the odd pair before Julius extended his hand. Newton shook it with his own dripping palms, and Julius heaved him up with unexpected strength.

"It's all over..." Newton murmured. "What do we do now?"

"It's not over!" Julius chortled. "Do you think that they wouldn't have thought that rotten piece of wood would collapse? No, there has to be another way..." Julius dipped into his pocket and pulled out a muddy piece of parchment. He unrolled it clumsily and squinted at the labels and lines. "We're at Elevant Falls, right? Well, there's a red dot here on the map."

"I think that means a refreshment point." Newton said quickly, and stared over his shoulder to see the map. "The black line is the river, and it goes in two directions, split by the waterfall."

"Two directions..." Julius muttered, and gazed up at the waterfall. "So where's the river now?"

Suddenly, there was the sound of more hooves. Both men spun round to see many more horses accompanied by their masters and mistresses. All were mesmerised by beauty of the waterfall, and the sight of Newton's soaked clothes and Julius's mud-stained trousers.

"The trial has been...altered a little." Julius explained.

"I think 'demolished' is the word." Newton corrected him. "We can't reach the flag now."

"But there's another route!" Julius cheered, and displayed the map to the crowd. They glanced at each other, puzzled, before approaching the map. Julius indicated the black line, and how the river should flow beneath their feet.

"But the river isn't here!" groaned a short girl with short, black hair.

"Unless it's underground..." said a studious looking rider. The crowd discussed this idea and eventually concluded that there must be a cave somewhere nearby.

"Over there!" boomed Julius, and pointed to a gaping dark hole in the side of the cliff. Already, muddy hooves has passed through, and a trail had been left for them to follow. The crowd of horse riders cheered, and mounted their horses once more.

Julius and Vinia led the contestants to the dark cavern, and Newton and Fulgaria were left trailing behind. Already, he was plotting revenge for Stephano, who abandoned him in the mud. Yes, Stephano was going to feel the same...

The yellow shine of the afternoon sun had turned to a hazy orange glow as twilight followed. The mountain was bathed in the blazing dusk and Aurarius was growing thirsty once more.

"Don't worry," Lamatte assured him. "We'll reach Goron Caverns soon."

In truth, he hadn't a clue how to reach Goron Caverns at all. All he could see were the red trunks of dead trees and the bare brown rock which his steed's hooves crossed endlessly. Stephano, Bella and Jerry had long forsaken him, and now, he was at the mercy of the setting sun.

Suddenly, a peculiar dust erupted beside them. Aurarius panicked and evaded the frightful, rumbling noise. Lamatte gripped the reigns and peered over the horse's head. It was a boulder, rolling speedily and smoothly. He recognised it as a Goron and brought Aurarius to a halt. The boulder stopped immediately and rose.

"Why, if it isn't the Gold Knight!" the Goron cheered. "Don't you remember who I am?"

Lamatte shook his head. "All Gorons look the same to me."

"A typical Hylian..." the Goron sighed. "It's me, the Goron who got you into this contest! My name is Gogorongo. I was just on my way to Goron Caverns."

"So am I!" Lamatte laughed. "Could you show me the way?"

"Well, I've been strictly ordered not to help contestants in the tournament...but I've grown a soft spot for you...what's your name?"

"Lamatte." he said. "Lamatte the Gold Knight."

"A title, eh? You sound very important!" Gogorongo chuckled. "For one so important, I'm surprised you didn't take the shortcut to Goron Caverns..."

"There's a shortcut?"

"Yes...and it's not exactly hidden. There's a cave beside Elevant Falls where the river flows underground. It's labelled on the map I gave you."

"So there is another way!" Lamatte cheered excitedly. "So I could have skipped the first trial completely?"

"Not exactly," Gogorongo sighed. "You see, like Elevant River, the trial was split into two. Elevant Caves provides its own challenge which the contestants must succeed before they can reach Goron Caverns. Now, I'm going to roll up and pretend this conversation never happened. You're welcome to follow me to the caverns, but don't breath a word to anyone."

Gogorongo curled up into his boulder form and accelerated along the ground. Lamatte tugged on the reigns and guided Aurarius towards the cloud of dust so they could follow the Goron towards the mountain beneath the stars.

Gogorongo stopped in front of a tall red gate, of a similar style to the structure on Elevant Bridge. There was a large golden medallion hanging from the beam, which displayed the Goron Print, the emblem of their race. Lamatte gazed in awe at the wonderful entrance to Goron Caverns.

"Well, here you are." Gogorongo said. "I can tell you're impressed. Now, listen to me: when you enter, you must pay the utmost respect. Not many racers remember that us Gorons are offering you our living space as a gift, and they take us for granted. Not all of us are employed by Mrs Victorian. Most of them disapprove of the race completely. Secondly, I want you to know that our Chief is currently enduring a spiritual passing. He must meditate frequently, and may even have prophetic epiphanies. You must not interfere with his seizure, nor must you speak to him."

"A seizure?!" Lamatte raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed. It is a message from the Mother of the Mountain. As her people, she is offering us guidance as how to keep this world at peace. Any interruption or interference may result in the disruption of the connection between the Chief's mind and the Mother's."

"I see... Lamatte lied.

"Well, I bid you farewell. May we meet again before you set out for the second trial."

Gogorongo did not roll, but strolled into the caverns under the grand gate. Lamatte thought it unwise to ride through the caves, and instead dismounted Aurarius and guided him into the darkness, without knowing what awaited them.

The first thing they noticed was the light of a fire, which drew them in. The fire was coming from a torch, which was connected to other torches with banners decorated in the Goron print. They were in a corridor, which led in two directions. A small wooden sign pointed towards the left, which was labelled _The Stables_. Lamatte took Aurarius down the corridor and into a confined space with a few more torches and a trough of water with a pump.

There were three horses already waiting there; in particular, a Ginger Barb who Lamatte recognised as Folia, who had led them over the landslide. The others were of course Sanctus and Laurus, who lay at opposite sides of the cave, tied to convenient, wooden posts. Lamatte tied Aurarius to one beside Folia, and spoke gently.

"I know, this is the second time I've left you in a stable. But don't be angry with me. I'll be back tomorrow." Aurarius did not respond, but instead looked down at the floor. "You know, you were very brave at the waterfall." Lamatte continued, and stroked him. "Not many horses could conquer that...not many horses _did_. But this race will be worth it, I promise. Just keep pushing and we'll get there. Now rest."

He fed Aurarius some pellets from his satchel and left him with the others. Lamatte then proceeded down the corridor an up some steps. He found himself in a great hall, with a roof which spiraled as high as the mountain outside. The floor also spiraled down to the floor below, where a great flame burned in the centre. There were many torches, all burning brightly, and many Gorons, all going about their business. Lamatte was now lost in a community of moving boulders.

The horse riders were restricted to visiting only a few rooms of the immense underground city. It was mealtime, and those who had succeeded the first trial were gathered around a stone table, feasting on a plate of roast Cucco and rice, prepared by the Gorons.

Stephano gobbled a Cucco wing whole, and licked his fingers whilst staring smugly at the siblings. Bella and Jerry did their best to ignore his existence, and continued to eat their meal. The only other contestant was a woman named Ruby, who ate her meal quickly, but elegantly. She could sense the tension between them, and chuckled under her breath.

Lamatte arrived at the doorway, looking exhausted and hungry. The other riders saw him and observed as a Goron swooped upon him, wearing a white toque.

"Ah, another human! Please, be seated! Your meal will be ready in a moment!"

He dashed to another section of the cave, where a stove was hissing and steaming. Lamatte sat himself beside the siblings. The table was gigantic, and there were many spaces left between the other racers. In no time at all, the Goron chef returned with a plate of roast Cucco.

"Eat up, young human!" he said. "The Chief doesn't want to see a guest go hungry!"

"The Chief?"

"Yes our Chief will be joining you shortly, in order to give a blessing."

Lamatte thanked the Goron and ate. The food was fantastic and well deserved. He hadn't eaten a full meal for months, and it felt good to finally tuck into juicy Cucco meat.

There was no conversation at the table. The tension between them was too great ever since the mishap at Elevant Falls. Lamatte wasn't affected so much, and he managed to enjoy his food. The others, however, could not ignore the exchange of glances and occasional coughs. Thankfully, the meal was interrupted once more by the arrival of the other contestants. Each of them stopped eating to see the pale faces and dampened clothes of the riders who had taken the alternative route. They were led by a short, plump man who was rubbing his eyes constantly.

"Well, that was a peculiar experience." he laughed faintly. "Now, what's for supper?"

The Goron chef appeared in a flash, and seated them with plates of Cucco. Lamatte watched Newton sit in his designated place beside Stephano, but they did not speak. The short man could not wait to tell the rest of his adventure though.

"Me and this young fellow discovered the secret cave together." he said, and gestured gracefully to Newton. "We led our steeds through the intimidating darkness, only to be confronted by a heavy mist! It clouded our vision like a veil, and frosted our very souls!"

The table listened intently to the wonderfully told tale of how the riders lost each other in the caves, until 'Julius' found the exit, and called out through the darkness for the others to reunite. Overall, it had been a success, though since the landslide, only twelve riders had completed the first trial. Julius was certain to show his praise to Newton and his navigation skills, and even Stephano seemed impressed.

Lamatte glanced to the woman with the scarlet scarf, who had arrived at the caverns before any of them. She saw him and winked, but did not join in the discussion. Instead, she sat with her arms folded and her plate empty.

Suddenly, a figure appeared at the entrance. The lecture stopped instantly as the table turned to see a hunched Goron with a beard that split in three directions. For a Goron leader, Lamatte was surprised at how weak and elderly he appeared.

The Chief smiled through glazed eyes and hobbled over towards the table. The humans did not stand but stared in disbelief as the Chief climbed onto the table where they had just eaten as though it were a pedestal. The Goron chef appeared at the vacant seat in order to clap excitedly.

"Greetings, travellers!" he said regally, and waved his palms. "And what brings you to my fair city?"

"We're here for the race." one man laughed. Some others surrounding him chuckled, but Julius, Bella, Jerry and Lamatte remained amazed at his lack of superiority.

"Ah, yes," said the Chief. "And I am here to wish you the very best of luck from me and Her Majesty of the Mountain."

Suddenly, he began to shudder. The dreamy smile faded from his lips and his eyes turned from glazed and distant to sharp and piercing. The crowd turned to the Goron chef for a reaction, but the Goron remained dazzled by his Chief's presence. Then, a voice was heard, powerful and majestic, but feminine:

"Greetings, young humans." the words echoed from the Chief's mouth. "You have entered my mountain on a temporary basis, through the kindness of my people. Therefore, it is I who has granted you accommodation for this night, and it is I who you will worship here."

Lamatte turned to the others and saw astonished and somewhat frightened expressions. But still, he could hear the tremendous commanding voice from the Chief's mouth.

"As you have come this far, it is clear that one of you holds the destiny of victory in this tournament. But that task was no challenge. For the next trial, you will face me, the Mountain, and realise true difficulty and hardship. If you succeed, you may leave this mountain unscathed. Should you fail, you face almost certain death."

The words echoed in the minds of everyone around the table. The prospect of death seemed entirely impossible in such an innocent tournament, though they had been warned. Why else would everyone be permitted to carry weapons?

The Chief blinked rapidly for a while as his eyes became glazed once more. He slowly regained his sense again and spoke to the humans. "Well, you are welcome to stay in my city as long as you like. Though if you want to win the race, I suggest you start moving...after a good night's sleep."

The Chief stepped down from the table and hobbled away, playing with his pointed beard. The Goron Chef whizzed round and collected every plate, then dismissed them, directing them upstairs to a cave which would serve as their temporary dormitories. Lamatte yawned and followed the twelve contestants out of the kitchens, until he noticed that one of them was missing: the scarlet scarf.

Glancing around suspiciously, he dropped out of the crowd and went to return to the stables.

The great hall of the cavern looked even grander with the lack of Gorons, who had all curled up to sleep. Lamatte admired the curious spiralling roof as he ascended the ramp to the entrance. He suddenly realised that there was an opening at the top, which he could see the stars shedding their sparkling light into the underground city.

He eventually reached the entrance hall he had first arrived in, and headed to the darkened stables, where many horses were snoring and snoozing. The whole place stank, and Lamatte's nose shrivelled as he found the vacant space beside Aurarius. He knew exactly where the woman had gone, and he felt cheated. Aurarius was still awake looking quiet, and Lamatte had an idea.

"How would you like to come on a midnight jaunt?" he grinned at his steed. Aurarius looked up, and for the first time, appeared excited to see his master. Lamatte beamed and untied the rope which bound him.

Soon, Lamatte and Aurarius were outside under the serene night sky which twinkled above the Mountain. They could see a silhouette of a horse attempting to ascend the wall, and Aurarius trotted over to it. Folia and her mistress looked exhausted and frustrated, and the sight of Lamatte did not help.

"What do you want?" she snapped. "Shouldn't you be tucked up in bed with the rest?"

"I could ask you the same question." Lamatte sneered. "What are you doing out here?"

"Trying to win the tournament if it's any of your business. Why are you here?"

"To see you. I never really thanked you for saving me from the landslide today."

"I didn't save you from a landslide!" she laughed. "I saved myself, and you copied! I suppose you've come to follow me again."

"I didn't follow you into the Elevant Caves." Lamatte piped, and looked up at the mountain. "Are you sure this is the right way? There aren't any flags..."

"I know this isn't the right way! But those damn Gorons have sealed off the path until tomorrow. I guess they don't want anybody to win this race..."

Folia and her mistress eventually surrendered. She noticed that Lamatte was still watching her and tried to reinvent herself.

"My name's Ruby, if you're wondering." she smiled under her black fringe. "I already know who you are: 'Lamatte the Gold Knight'. They were all talking about you back at the Rusty Pick Inn, like you were something special." Ruby sighed and turned to look at the mountain. "I guess I'll have to wait until morning before I can get rid of you."

Folia and Ruby galloped back into the Goron Caverns, leaving Lamatte amazed. "I guess we'll have to show her that we are something special, eh?" he smirked to Aurarius. But Aurarius was still staring longingly at the spot where Folia the Ginger Barb had just been.

Lamatte awoke in the morning, feeling a buzz. He dressed quickly, and left the makeshift male dormitory as quickly as possible to eat breakfast, which consisted of eggs cooked by the Goron Chef. The atmosphere seemed less tense, as most of the racers were still tired and could not be bothered to argue.

Lamatte could not take his eyes off Ruby, but tried not to show it. Instead, he ended up dribbling yolk onto his tunic. Bella leant over from beside him and nudged him it the ribs.

"Concentrate on the race," she warned. "Or you'll be dead before dusk!"

Lamatte blushed and ate his breakfast quickly. He noticed that Newton was not present at the table, yet Stephano was devouring his meal as usual. He was wondering whether to question his absence until Gogorongo entered the kitchen, wearing his pointy hat. He smiled at Lamatte and then spoke to the table.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring news! The Chief has invited you to witness the opening of the Mountain! It is a very exciting event which only takes place during the Deresse Adventure Tour! I highly reccommend that you attend, and the race shall resume as soon as the door to the trial is unlocked!"

Gogorongo clapped in anticipation and departed for the great hall. The sleepy crowd burst into discussion about the mysterious 'opening of the mountain'.

"The Mountain only opens during this tournament, or in times of danger." Jerry explained. "Only the Chief can open the door to the Mountain Crater, and not many humans have seen it. We are very lucky." He kissed the red charm around his neck.

"We should ready Sanctus for the race, Jerry." said Bella. "So should you. I bet Ruby has." she said coldly to Lamatte, before leaving for the stables. Lamatte sighed as he realised Bella was right: Ruby had already left the table while the crowd were distracted. She had a habit of doing that.

Once the horses had been fed and watered, the twelve remaining contestants gathered in the great hall. Nobody was sure where the door to the Mountain was, or how it was going to open. Instead, they all gazed up hopefully to the morning sky which shone through the roof.

The Chief was already stood in the centre of the hall, looking cheerful and carefree as usual. He was surrounded by a tribe of Gorons, but not all were supporting him. One of the Gorons' voices echoed through the caverns louder and angrier than the rest.

"I can't believe you're doing this _again_!" the Goron hissed. "Every year, you give in to the humans and their horses and open the sacred sanctuary so they can run wild!"

"These humans are just having a little fun!" the Chief insisted. "There's nothing wrong with that, surely?"

"A little fun?! This is the home of the Mountain Mother, not some playground! I'm sure she does not agree with all this..."

"Angoron, these humans are risking their lives to win a small trophy. They are facing a test of their own abilities and loyalty. If it is their desire to reach the other side of the mountain, they who are we to stop them?"

"But you're the Chief of the Goron Tribe! You're supposed to be strong and stubborn, not letting the humans invade our territory and stroll straight through! This is why I should have been chosen as Chief..."

"Silence, Angoron!" the Chief boomed, and the whole room was startled, even Angoron. It was clear that the Chief was no longer in control of his words, and the great hall fell silent. "I am the leader of your people. I made my decision many years ago. Who are you to question it?"

"I-I apologise, your majesty..." Angoron quivered.

"You are forgiven...for now. I came here to unlock the door to the Mountain, so the humans may pass into the trial, and face me. I fully approve of their foolish courage to enter my sanctuary, and I remain in wait for those careless enough to fall into my pit of fire."

The Chief's piercing gaze darted top the roof, where the sunlight curled around the spiraling roof. A granite finger reached upwards and began to trace a circle in the air. Suddenly, the interior of the Goron Caverns shuddered with tremendous force. The riders huddled together in fear, and even Stephano clung to Newton's arm. Then, the floor of the great hall began to rotate, the spiralled path curling like a snake all around them. They watched a wall close over the route to the entrance hall, and another wall slide away, revealing a giant, ruby, metallic door bearing a golden Goron emblem.

The Chief's arm lowered and he blinked rapidly once more. His eyes cast upon the majestic doorway and laughed. "Behold, dear friend: The Mountain Sanctuary!"

The riders looked to one another, then proceeded towards the door. It was Julius who dismounted his steed and placed his palms on its glossy, yet ancient surface. The door parted with almost no effort, and Julius mounted Vinia once more to lead the riders to the second trail. Lamatte took one last look at the Goron Chief, who waved cheerfully before the doors resealed.

The heat hit them like a blast of fire. It was as though Lamatte and Aurarius had walked into an oven, and it was easy to see why. The sanctuary consisted of two pouring falls of red hot magma, both flowing to the centre, which was a glowing, pulsating lake of lava.

The path before them was laid out in a mosaic-style road, which crossed the lake of lava. Each rider followed in a single line, marvelling at the fiery lake below. It was still Julius who was leading them, until an orange coat sped past him. Folia and Ruby were now quite a distance ahead of the line, and Stephano protested: "Hey! She's cheating!"

"It seems you've forgotten that this is a race!" she chuckled, and continued to push her steed, until they stopped midway. The bridge they had been crossing had crumbled into the lava below, leaving them stranded. Opposite them was a massive iron disc, rotating in the pool of fire, connected to the path by a single chain.

"You didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?" Jerry laughed, and joined the front of the line. "This is the only way to cross the lake...we just need to disconnect the chain, then it's a matter of survival!"

Sanctus raced forward and leapt onto the floating disc. "Come on!" he beckoned to the others.

Ruby and Folia snarled and jumped the gap, before the rest of the line all piled onto the round iron platform. Julius made his way to the centre, and took his usual leading position: "We need to all stay still, and wait for the current of the lava to take us."

"Where?" a girl called from the back.

Julius pointed directly ahead of them. Across the raging hot river, there was a tall statue of a woman holding a spear in her right hand, and a lantern in her left. There was a stone stairway which curled around the statue all the way to the lantern, which glowed with the light of day.

"So, who's going to cut the chains?"

"Allow me!" Stephano dismounted Laurus and rolled his sleeves up as he approached the iron chain. His fists gripped the links, and the riders watched him heave and tug at them until he was panting for breath. "I'm not...ready yet..."

Lamatte sighed, and dismounted Aurarius. Unsheathing his golden sword, he slashed the chain with ease. The platform turned as the current of the lava began to take them down the stream, leaving the riders clinging to their reigns. Stephano slipped away as Lamatte mounted Aurarius. Neither saw eye to eye, but Stephano's hatred was clear.

Nobody stirred as the disc took them through the sanctuary. The horses were shaking with uncertainty, but the journey seemed cool and calm. Ruby seemed frustrated with the fact that she could not gallop ahead of the rest, while Bella and Jerry began to yawn with boredom.

Suddenly, there was a quake which shook the whole sanctuary. The horses whinnied in distress, and the riders glanced from one another. The rumbling continued, and they all turned to the road they had since left. The sea of magma parted, and the riders cried out.

A giant head of a lion formed from the flames, and roared with might that shook the mountain. Its blazing jaws opened and sank into the lava, before the beats began to creep through the lake towards them. Lamatte watched in awe until a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Gold Knight, you must have faced things like this!" Julius cried. "What should we do?"

Lamatte was paralysed, his eyes transfixed on the oncoming monster. He had never witnessed such horror in his life, and he did not know how to react. Once it reached them, they would be consumed in fire. This was the Mountain's test. This was the second trial.

"Move it, guys!" Jerry's voice called, and the crowd retreated behind Sanctus and the chariot. Bella readied the cannon and a spout of water sprayed the stream of lava, cooling it and forming rock. However, it was not powerful enough to reach the Mountain Lion, and it engulfed the rocks in flame.

"Not to worry!" Stephano yelled. "I have a weapon which will annihilate this monstrosity in an instant!" He turned to Newton and hissed: "Where's the crate?"

"Here." Newton passed Stephano a crate which he had carried on Fulgaria's back. Stephano snatched it and opened the lid to find a jumble of scrap metal.

"What's this?" he snapped, and showed it to Newton.

Newton did not need to see the contents of the crate before replying. "Oh...I...erm...dismantled the device."

"WHAT?!" Stephano shrieked. "But...why? It was our secret weapon!"

The crate was thrust back into Newtons arms, and he flushed at Stephano's anger. The fiery beast was advancing ever closer and all hope seemed lost. Lamatte was still petrified and his sword remained static.

Then, another sound echoed within the sanctuary. Lamatte's eyes squinted through the hazy heat and saw a boulder accelerating towards them, bouncing over the pool of lava. The shape crashed through the scorching blaze of the Mountain Lion and reached the iron disc before standing up. It was Gogorongo, looking stressed and exhausted who greeted Lamatte at the edge of the disc.

"Gogorongo...what are you doing here?"

"I came to help you." he said. "You will never succeed this trial without a Goron."

With all his might, Gogorongo gripped the edge of the iron disc and began to push them through the lake. The lion watched, enraged, but did not accelerate. The rest were in awe of the Goron's strength and waited on the platform as they were taken to the other side. Finally, the beast of the Mountain surrendered, and submerged itself to the depths of the crater.

The riders dispatched onto the shore of the lake, and thanked Gogorongo for his assistance.

"It was nothing," he said sincerely. "I was heading through the sanctuary anyway."

"But I thought that Gorons weren't permitted to go beyond the sanctuary?" Jerry interjected.

Everybody turned to Gogorongo, who turned and snapped. "It's none of your business, human!" He saw the frightened faces of horses retreat away from him and sighed. "What I mean is, it is the Mother's wish that I leave Goron Caverns. I have a mission to carry out."

With no further information, Gogorongo advanced up the winding stairway which curled around the statue of the Mountain Goddess. There was a low rumbling sound, and everybody panicked, until they noticed the iron disc shudder and sink below the surface of the lava. Lamatte and Aurarius immediately followed behind the Goron, and he began to question what had just happened.

"Was that lion...the Mountain Mother?"

"No." the Goron sighed. "The spirit of the Mother remains trapped inside the body of our Chief, until he passes to the next life and she chooses another host."

"So you're saying it was something which was always in the sanctuary?"

"Maybe. But as the doors only open once a year, nobody is truly sure of what lurks in the sanctuary."

They continued to climb the path around the statue. Lamatte watched her spear lunge over his head, and heard the sound of more hooves behind him. "I notice that the beast did not attack you. Why?"

"That lion was probably a creation of the Mother, instructed to challenge you. She would never harm her own people. Therefore, the beast had to retreat."

The Goron and the knight finally arrived at the top of the stairway. The lantern which the statue held in her hand was now a glowing orange. Gogorongo hesitated and waited for the others to arrive.

"Beyond here is the world we Gorons have never seen. You will have noticed that the area is marked on your map, and so you will know which path to take from here. I cannot offer you any more guidance, but I should tell you that there is a pair of travellers who roam this area giving potions and food to those in the tournament."

Ruby reached into her pockets and retrieved a map, which she unrolled and surveyed quickly, before returning it. Gogorongo turned and marched through the door of the sanctuary, followed closely by the others.

The cool wind breezed over them. It was as though Lamatte and Aurarius were being woken from a nightmare, and relief overwhelmed them. Then, a unison of gasps were heard as the party observed the view before their eyes.

A magnificent forest cloaked the entire valley in a cool green, while the setting sun warmed the distant snowcapped mountain range. They had found themselves in a taiga paradise which stretched for miles, a complete contrast to the barren mountains they had ascended previously. Even Gogorongo was amazed, and he stood open-mouthed with the rest.

"It's all true..." he gasped. "The Mountain Mother's Paradise...the place where the Chief was awakened."

"Awakened?" Bella asked.

"Yes. The Goron who is selected to become the chosen heir to the Mountain comes here to be purified and accept the Spirit of the Mother."

"So why are you-" Lamatte asked, but paused as suddenly, the answer was clear. "-you're the heir!"

"Indeed." Gogorongo smiled weakly. "She came to me in a dream...She told me to enter the Mountain Sanctuary and now I realise I have been chosen. Now, you must go. In order for me to be purified, I must be alone."

The riders understood and one by one, descended the mountain path into the forest. Lamatte remained at the back of the line, still gazing up at the Mountain. Gogorongo was a silhouette against the rock, looking nervous. Suddenly, there was a bang which rang through the entire region. The line of horses froze and glanced back at the Mountain. Gogorongo was shrouded in flames, a beacon of fire burning through the dusk.

"Come on, Lamatte." Jerry called, beckoning him down the slope. "It's still a race, remember?"

Lamatte's eyes tore away from the sight of the burning Goron and instead looked upon Sanctus and Aurarius, the only remaining horses. The rest of the contestants had vanished into the forest in a frenzy of competition. Aurarius galloped past Sanctus and the race began once more.

On and on they galloped deeper into the valley. On their journey, they did not see any other of the twelve contestants, who had obviously split off in different directions. Aurarius passed towering trees and piles of fallen red leaves as he sprinted aimlessly forward. Lamatte occasionally glanced back to see the Mountain, but the treetops had hidden it from view. Eventually, he admitted he was lost, and paused to open his map.

After passing the triangle which was the Mountain, his finger traced a path into a random array of lines which resembled trees. It was labelled _Taiga Valley_ and there was an arrow which extrapolated from the forest to a sentence which read; _Wandering Merchants_. To the north of the forest, there were two more triangles and then...

"The City of Honour!" he cried with joy. Within the structure of buildings was a tower which rose above them all labelled _The Joyous Lantern (FINISH)_. Their journey was almost complete and Lamatte's dreamt of celebration and congratulations. However, when he glanced up from the map, he found himself back in the moonlit maze of trees and leaves. If only he had a compass...

Suddenly, the clopping of hooves could be heard through the trees and Lamatte lifted his head to listen to the voices. "Yes, curious. The valley seems very alive tonight."

"Indeed. I thought at least one or two horses would have found us by now."

Lamatte and Aurarius stood still as a light danced across the forest floor. A brown and white Pinto horse crept through the trees, pulling a chariot containing two unfamiliar men. Lamatte realised that they were not part of the race and trotted over to greet them.

"Hi there," he said startling the pair. "my name's Lamatte. I was wondering if you could direct me to the City of Honour?"

"Isn't that what your map's for?" one of them laughed, and dismounted the chariot. "You must be a contestant for the Derresse Annual Adventure Tour."

He shook Lamatte's hand while he remained on his horse, displaying his height. "My name is Vendric, and this is my friend Purchan." The other man waved from abroad the chariot, holding the reigns of the horse. "We're not related, so don't even suggest it."

"We're here to give refreshments to riders passing through the valley," Purchan piped. "for a price."

"You're actually very lucky to be our first customer." Vendric cheered. "We always sell our stock cheap at first. So can I interest you in our goods?"

Lamatte dismounted Aurarius and headed towards the inviting lantern which hung from a pole. Purchan opened a crate to reveal bottles of milk, biscuits with chocolate on top, and rare fruit such as strawberries and cherries, which glowed in the light. Lamatte's mouth drooled at the sight of the rich food which he had been deprived of for so long.

"And we also supply for your horse." said Vendric, and pulled out another crate, so heavy it had to be placed on the floor. Once open, fresh water, carrots and apples caught Aurarius's eyes, and he too approached the crate.

"This could all be yours," said Purchan temptingly. "if you can afford it."

"How much?" Lamatte said quickly, and opened his wallet.

"Well, we're more interested in other goods besides money." said Vendric. "Stuff we can sell on. Like treasure."

Vendric's eyes slid towards the ring on Lamatte's finger. Lamatte also glanced down at the diamond, which glinted in the moonlight. Purchan leaned over from the chariot to inspect the item. "If you gave us something like that, we could give you all this and even a few Rupees." he chirped.

Lamatte began to twist the ring around his finger as he considered the offer. The ring had belonged to his stepfather, whom he had murdered at the age of 12. Yet despite the unholy circumstances, the ring felt sacred to him, and he had kept it since he had departed from Hyrule. Was he going to give it away for a few luxuries before he crossed the finish line?

"No." he breathed. "No, I'll pass."

"Are you sure?" Vendric raised both eyebrows in surprise. "If you don't get this, somebody else will."

"Well more fool them."

Lamatte mounted Aurarius and they trotted away into the forest, leaving Vendric and Purchan looking distraught and astounded. He heard the crates slam shut in frustration and the light of the lantern faded away.

Now that his head was clear of temptation and decision, Lamatte had a plan: he was going to camp out somewhere beneath the stars until morning, then the sun would be his compass and guide him north. Although he was missing many hours of the race, he decided it was better to sleep than to wander through the forest aimlessly like the merchants.

Soon, he found a spot between two trees, which he decided wold be perfect to hang a canopy to sleep beneath. Lamatte tied Aurarius's reigns to a branch and began to compose his tent from a sheet which he kept in his backpack. Whilst doing so, he heard hooves approaching. With a grimace on his face, he spun round expecting to see a Pinto horse carrying the greedy faces of Vendric and Purchan.

But instead, there was a girl sitting on a ginger Barb horse. Beneath the darkness of the trees, she was unfamiliar, but as she entered the patch of moonlight, Lamatte saw her face: "Ruby? Is that you?"

Ruby nodded and flicked her long black fringe away from her face. "I was just passing...why are you hanging a bed sheet up?"

"It's a shelter." he said annoyed. "I've decided to sleep until morning."

"To use the sun as a compass? As if I haven't heard that one before!"

Unexpectedly, Ruby dismounted Folia, her horse, and picked up the sheet. Lamatte watched without questioning as she formed a perfect tent which covered the floor and formed a roof over his head.

"You'd better have a sleeping bag," she warned him. "and don't go approaching those Wandering Merchants-they're dangerous!"

Ruby turned around to mount Folia once more, but she had vanished. Instead, she was standing beside Aurarius, rubbing her snout against his side. He was still restrained by his reigns, and could not react. Lamatte kindly untied him, allowing him to return the affection. Ruby and Lamatte watched, bewildered, yet warmed by the sight.

The next morning, Lamatte woke, with barely any memory of the previous night. Beneath his canopy, he could hear the birdsong that he missed, and the shadows of the trees dancing over the sheet. He realised that he was only wearing his tunic, and decided to head out to retrieve his boots and armour.

Aurarius was waiting for him, and although he was not tied to the tree he had not fled from his master. Ruby and Folia had left long ago, and Lamatte realised how much heartache his horse must have felt. He stroked his mane gently and murmured in his ear.

"Don't worry, we'll see them again. Who knows, maybe on a regular basis!"

He winked before strapping on his chest plate and gauntlets. After putting on his boots, Lamatte was packing his sleeping bag away when he saw the leaves glide along the ground. Listening closely, he suddenly heard the sound of hooves and distant yelling.

Out of nowhere, a sunny yellow Walkaloosa burst through the branches in a panic. Followed by a small chariot, Lamatte recognised it as Sanctus, and waved to Jerry and Bella, but both appeared preoccupied.

Then, the trees exploded as two Lokais thundered through the clearing. Lamatte leapt back to avoid them and caught a flash of Stephano and Newton, who sprinted after Sanctus. Aurarius whinnied with fright, and Lamatte quickly mounted him to join the chase.

Bella already had her cannon ready, and it was drenching the two riders in water. Obviously, it had been upgraded since the second trial, and it managed to soak Lamatte as well. But this time, the Lokais had their own weapon. Newton had constructed a sort of gun and was attempting to aim it accurately as Fulgaria weaved between the trunks of trees.

Stephano suddenly noticed Lamatte was close behind them, and Laurus accelerated. Lamatte drove Aurarius on, but was cut off by Fulgaria and Newton. There was a crackling sound as the gun sent a charge of electricity into the air, which caught the branch of a tree. The branch snapped and fell, creating an obstacle which Laurus had to leap. Sanctus accelerated in fear of the new weapon, and Bella's chariot hit a log, causing it to smash. Bella was thrown off and landed in a pile of leaves.

Lamatte saw that Jerry was in danger, but instead guided Aurarius to where Bella had fell. She looked dazed, and Lamatte helped her onto the back of his horse. They both scanned the forest for the other three horses, and saw that Sanctus was now alongside Laurus.

"Do it, Newton!" Stephano hissed. "Now!"

Newton gladly obeyed, and a bolt of lightning struck Sanctus down. Jerry fell headfirst into a tree as his horse skidded onto the soil. Bella shrieked in terror while Stephano and Newton galloped away in laughter. Aurarius sprinted towards Sanctus, who was paralysed on the ground. Lamatte and Bella dismounted instantly to help them.

"Are you okay?" Lamatte asked Jerry, who was rubbing his skull vigorously.

"I'm fine." he winced. "Go and help Sanctus!"

Bella was crouched over the paralysed horse, not knowing what to do. Lamatte joined her, and began to stroke his mane.

"What can we do?" Bella wailed.

"Fetch my bag!" Jerry called. "Find the bottle of Spores!"

Bella looked around and retrieved Jerry's bag. She began to root deep within it for a few minutes while Sanctus was still breathing desperately. Aurarius began to neigh, agitated.

"Hush!" Lamatte snapped, and snatched the bag from Bella, tipping it upside down. The contents littering the floor and he spotted a bottle of yellow powder. Determined, he unscrewed the lid and handed the bottle to Bella.

"Rub it on his nose!" Jerry ordered.

Bella obeyed, caressing the Spores gently onto Sanctus's snout. His breathing became more relaxed and he began to twitch. "He's okay!" Bella cheered.

Lamatte took the bottle from her and screwed the lid back on. Aurarius was still neighing loudly. "I said hush!"

Then, a strange smell wafted through the leaves. Lamatte sniffed the air, and realised that something was burning. He looked to Jerry and Bella, then saw a cloud of smoke snaking through the trees.

"Something's on fire!" Jerry yelled. "We need water!"

Without hesitation, Jerry ran into the grey fog. Sanctus was now stood up, and Bella was refilling the bag.

"Take Sanctus and go." Lamatte told her. "I'll go and help Jerry."

Bella nodded and watched Lamatte mount the frightened Meadow White. He quickly apologised to Aurarius for not heeding his warnings, before he too vanished into the smoke.

Lamatte's eyes were blinded by the heavy grey fog, and he began to cough. He saw a wild orange flame enveloping a tree, and Jerry stood beside it with a pot of water.

"It's no good," he coughed. "the flames are too strong!"

Lamatte held out his hand and helped Jerry onto Aurarius's back. Aurarius reared and spun round to escape the flames. They fled back towards where they had left Sanctus and Bella, but both had gone. Suddenly, Jerry pointed ahead of them. Lamatte squinted and saw more flames approaching them.

"It's a wildfire!" he gasped. "We need to get out of here!"

Lamatte agreed, but then they heard a tremendous explosion. The sky was immediately clouded by smoke which rose from the Mountain. An eruption. Without the sun, they would never find north and would never escape from the forest.

Aurarius galloped deeper into the woods always avoiding the flames. Flakes of ash began to rain down on them. Jerry was looking out for other riders who may not have escaped.

"Lamatte, over there!" Lamatte followed his finger and saw a chariot consumed in flames. They sped towards it, expecting to find a horse, but the chariot was abandoned.

"Where is everyone?" Lamatte frowned. "They must have found a way out..."

Jerry put his hands around his neck and found a charm in the shape of a blue tear. He presented it to Lamatte and said; "This will protect you from fire. That's probably why I survived."

Lamatte thanked him for the gift and Aurarius continued to flee from the advancing flames. Suddenly, through the smoke, they glimpsed the shape of a horse. They hurried towards it, and found that the horse was alone. Lamatte recognised it as the Pinto horse which towed the Wandering Merchants' cart.

"It's frightened." Lamatte explained. "We need to rescue it."

"Allow me." said Jerry, and dismounted Aurarius. He approached the lost horse and stroked its snout before mounting it. "I have my own horse now."

"And there are some footprints here." Lamatte said, pointing to two tracks. "Maybe if we follow them, we can find a way out?"

Aurarius and the Pinto horse followed the trail through the smoke. As they progressed, the cloud began to fade and their vision became clearer. Before long, they found themselves ascending a gentle slope beneath untouched trees, and the temperature dropped. Both men examined each other and saw that they were covered in thick ash.

"It looks like we've made it!" Jerry shivered. "I just need to find Bella..."

Lamatte secretly knew that the tracks they were following belonged to Vendric and Purchan, but thought better than to discourage Jerry.

"The Mountain Mother is angry..." Jerry confirmed, pointing to the funnel of smoke. "That was no wildfire...someone started that on purpose."

Lamatte knew exactly who he was referring too and nodded. Both horses continued to climb the slope until the rain of ash turned to snow. They found themselves on a different mountain, much colder than Goron Caverns. The sun was still eclipsed by the clouds, and they felt as though night had fallen early.

Suddenly, the silhouette of a building appeared, and there was a ray of hope. With a final burst of energy, Aurarius and the Pinto crawled towards the veranda and warm light of the windows. Lamatte and Jerry saw no stables, and decided to tie the horses under the roof of the porch together for warmth.

They knocked on the door and a tiny old woman answered. For a moment, she blinked at the two men then put on her dish-shaped glasses.

"Hello there," Jerry said. "We're riders from the Derresse Adventure Tour. We were wondering if we could come in."

"Not more of you!" she groaned, and opened the door wider.

Lamatte and Jerry stepped in, wiping their boots on the doormat. As soon as they entered, Bella came running towards them with her arms outstretched. Jerry watched as she hugged Lamatte tightly. "You made it! I was so worried about you!"

"Where's Sanctus?" asked Jerry.

"The other horses are in the stable." the woman croaked, and handed him a key. Jerry thanked her and went outside to shelter both horses.

"There was an eruption!" Lamatte said once Bella had let go. "The whole forest has been destroyed!"

"I knew this day would come..." the woman sighed. "The carelessness of man passing through the Taiga Forest every year...something like this was inevitable."

She shook her head and proceeded upstairs. Bella led Lamatte into the lounge, where there was a fireplace crackling against the wall, and a sofa with three men sat wearing ancient fur cloaks. Julius stood up and greeted Lamatte with a vigorous handshake. "Lamatte, I'm so glad you made it!" he cheered. "I heard all about Sanctus. Where's Jerry?"

"He's gone to lock up the horses. We found a lone Pinto horse and rescued it."

"That would be ours."

The two men beside Julius removed their cloaks. Vendric and Purchan sat looking glum and irritated. "This is our boss's house. When the fire began, we came here to warn her."

"You're boss?"

The old woman appeared behind him and nodded. "Yes. My name is Millicent, and I own a chain of stores in Derresse. Although I can guarantee that my stores are affordable and honest, these two fools have been stealing more than necessary from my customers."

She turned to Julius and offered him a golden locket and a silver Rupee, which had obviously been given to the Wandering Merchants.

"So where are the others?" asked Lamatte.

"It seems we're the only ones." said Jerry as he entered the lounge. "I checked the stables and there are only four horses. But I did see some hoof prints in the snow leading up the mountain."

"That'll be that bastard Stephano..." Bella grimaced. "If he and Newton win the race, I'll rip both their heads off!"

Lamatte hurried over to Jerry and whispered in his ear. "What about Ruby? Has anyone seen her?"

"Not since we left the Mountain." Jerry sighed. "I'm sorry."

Lamatte turned away with a lump in his throat. Vendric and Purchan each had a tray of warm milk, and they were offering it to the riders.

"You're welcome to stay here until the panic's over." Millicent nodded. "That is, if you still want to finish the tournament?"

The four riders looked at each other. After coming this far, it was almost compulsory that they finish. Lamatte took a drink from Vendric and sat on the windowsill, where he could still see the smoking mountain.

The hours dragged by in the cramped cottage on the slope of the mountain. Lamatte could not drag himself away form the window, still hoping to see the silhouette of a ginger Barb emerge from the clouds of smoke.

Bella came and joined him with a bottle of warm milk. "I know you miss her, but there's no point in waiting here all day. You still have a race to win. Besides, she can look after herself. Remember how she avoided the landslide and found the Elevant Caves before any of us."

The tone of Bella's voice became slightly gritted, and she refused to speak of Ruby's feats any more. "Stephano and Newton have probably made it to the next trial by now. Hopefully, it's a giant hawk which could snatch them in each talon and drop them off the mountain."

They laughed at the thought and Lamatte soon realised that Bella was right. Ruby could look after herself. He needed to concentrate on himself and Aurarius, and their chances of winning the race. With every second that passed, Stephano could have crossed the finish line, and he would not wait any longer.

"Where are you going?" Bella asked. "It's still dangerous outside!"

"Well why don't you come with me?" Lamatte winked. "Invite Jerry and Julius too. The more the merrier."

Lamatte approached Millicent and asked her politely for the key to the stables. She nodded, and handed them to him instantly, whilst muttering 'fool' as he marched out of the door. Bella chased him into the storm, to the stables where the four horses huddled together for warm and comfort.

"Sanctus looks much better." Lamatte smiled. Bella nodded but looked doubtful.

"I should stay here." she said sorrowfully. "I don't have a chariot or a horse so I'm useless."

As Lamatte stroked Aurarius's mane, he glanced sideways at the Pinto horse and had an idea. "Why don't you take him? Sure, he looks a little old, but we're close to the city now."

The horse's ears pricked at the mention of his age, and trotted towards Bella. Bella stared into his grey eyes timidly. "But he belongs to Vendric and Purchan! We can't just steal him!"

"Those selfish snatchers left him alone in the forest to burn to death!" Lamatte growled. "He deserves better. He deserves you."

Bella blushed at the compliment and reached out to stroke the horse's mane. He purred with content and went closer to her. "I suppose you're right. I need my own horse. Sanctus always belonged to Jerry..."

Jerry and Julius crept into the stables wearing scarves and jumpers. Jerry saw Bella with the Pinto horse and grinned. "So you've found yourself a new friend? Excellent!"

"Millicent gave you warm clothes to wear." Julius said, offering them both a pile of fabric. "It's going to be much colder in the Kukantican Mountains."

Lamatte and Bella squeezed into their new layers, and the four of them mounted their horses. Without fear, they ventured into the snow, heading further north. Lamatte whispered quietly to Aurarius: "Not long to go now. Folia is probably waiting for you at the finish line."

The Kukantican Mountains were bitterly cold, and the horses were shivering violently. However, the path was clear; a winding road of brown gravel which led beneath a small, scarlet archway in the mountain pass. Not one of them were galloping ahead, and they all stayed in a single line.

Lamatte half expected to turn the corner and be startled by a giant hawk or other mountain beast. They had travelled miles from the second trial, and another trial was due. Being so close to the finish line, surely this would be the final test?

Suddenly, Jerry, who was leading the group, paused. The others stopped and listened to the icy gales. Before them was a vast blue lake which sparkled in the sunlight. But the water was frozen solid, so the lake was like a mirror which dazzled them. Far on the opposite side was, sure enough, a red flag, standing upright in the snow.

Each of them looked to Jerry, who accepted his role as a leader. Sanctus stepped forward as his master inspected the ice. Then, he placed a hoof onto the surface. The mirror shattered and Sanctus reared in fright.

"The third trial." Jerry said at last.

The group looked to one another, and each horse approached the edge of the lake. The spot where Sanctus had placed his hoof was reforming again, and the surface of the mirror was perfect once more. Julius stared at his own reflection, bewildered.

"There has to be a way..." Bella said. "Is there a bridge? Maybe we need to balance our weight out?"

As Bella dismounted her new horse, Lamatte chose to open up his map. They were now positioned at the edge of the Kukantican Mountain range, which was the furthest northerly point of Derrese. The City of Honour was a little to the west, on the border of the country, and there was a line which led all the way from Elevant Falls to a point labelled _Elevant Lake_.

"We could probably cross it on our own," Bella concluded. "but what about our horses?"

"If they don't make it to the finish line, then we've lost the race." Jerry reminded her."

"What if there's a path under the ice?" Julius said. "Maybe a hidden route?"

Lamatte suddenly remembered the items Ningan kept in his satchel for their journeys. There was something called a 'Lens of Truth', which revealed hidden objects or pathways.

Lamatte and Aurarius approached the shore and peered down. The sunlight was cold and harsh; it reflected off the ice and bedazzled them. Lamatte squinted his eyes and saw hoof prints. Aurarius place his hoof into the shape, but the ice did not crack. Instead, Lamatte saw a stone road; a bridge that crossed to the other side.

"I've found it!" he yelled excitedly. "There's a path! Beneath the ice!"

The others crowded around the edge as Aurarius stepped carefully onto the lake. There was a massive structure beneath them, supporting them above the frosty water. Without waiting another second, Lamatte galloped along the bridge, soon followed by Jerry, Bella and Julius.

The gales around them became stronger, and Lamatte's hair blew everywhere. The cold temperature reminded him that he was on a mountain, but his eyes were focused upon the red flag ahead.

Suddenly, there was a loud crack. Aurarius halted and his head spun round to hear the noise. With a crash, a nearby tree situated on an island fell, and fell through the surface of the lake. It created a torrent of water, which shook the ice they stood on. Bella shrieked as her horse whinnied in panic. Rocks were suddenly tumbling into the lake, creating more disturbances. Lamatte gripped the reigns and forced Aurarius onward.

Then, there was an agonising wail followed by a thunderous crack. Lamatte stopped again and saw Vinia flailing on a piece of ice. Julius was nowhere to be seen. Aurarius quickly reversed back along the bridge to aid him, along with Sanctus and the Pinto horse. They could see a shape, banging against the wall of ice. Julius had fallen in, and the lake had sealed him in.

"Don't dismount your horse." Jerry warned them. "We could fall in ourselves."

"We need to save him!" Bella cried.

Lamatte decided to take responsibility and threw his backpack onto the ice. The weight split the surface and Julius's terrified eyes emerged. His skin was blue, and he looked dead.

Bella ignored her brother and dismounted her horse in order to reach out and grab Julius's frozen hand. Lamatte joined her despite Jerry protests and they heaved him from the depths of the lake onto the icy bridge. Julius was barely breathing and Bella turned to Jerry, who reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of orange liquid.

"It's Ignotus Potion," he explained, offering it to her. "It's a strong soup that should warm his body in no time."

Bella opened Julius's mouth and poured the potion through his blue lips. He coughed and spluttered violently as the soup worked its effects. Colour was soon returning to his cheeks, which turned a burning red.

"Th-thank you!" he breathed. "Thank you so much... I'm so sorry!"

Whilst Bella was still tending to Julius, Jerry suddenly turned to Lamatte. "You shouldn't have stayed! You must win the race and beat Stephano!"

"But what about you three?"

"We've already lost. It's up to you now. It was always up to you." To Lamatte's surprise, Jerry reached around his neck and pulled another charm out. This one was golden, with the symbol of a dragon hanging from a thread. "This is my Pendant of Fortune. If you would exchange it for my Fire Immunity Charm..."

Lamatte obeyed, and they exchanged the two charms. Lamatte placed the pendant around his neck and felt slightly more confident. "...Thanks. I'll never forget this."

"Now go," Jerry ordered. "The finish line is near."

Lamatte nodded, and he and Aurarius sprinted across the invisible bridge to the other side of the lake. The sun was setting once more, indicating the end of the third day, and the terrible events they could leave behind.

Lamatte realised that Stephano and Newton were probably miles ahead, and Aurarius needed to ride through the night in order to catch up. The winding pass that led from the lake descended the mountain, and the view of the snow-capped mountain range stretched for miles, into the next country.

The wind was still blowing snow across their faces, and Lamatte still felt bitterly cold beneath his layers. Aurarius turned another corner and they were greeted by an ominous gorge. There was a fragile wooden bridge which crossed it, that swayed in the icy breeze. On the other side of the bridge were two horses, stood beside two men. He had found them at last. Or had they found him?

"Well, well, well," Stephano chortled as he picked his fingernails casually. "If it isn't the Gold Knight? I thought that the wild fire would have killed you off by now..."

"That was no wild fire!" Lamatte spat. "You started that on purpose and destroyed the Taiga Forest!"

"Well, I suppose that wasn't my intention. But I had to make sacrifices in order to stop you...which is why I'm here."

Stephano turned around to gaze at the sunbathed mountains. "The City of Honour is just down the mountain trail. The Finish Line, where I shall be crowned victorious!" He turned around once more and glared at Lamatte. "But before I get there, I need to beat you once and for all."

Stephano stepped closer to the edge of the gorge and peered down. "It's a long drop. Wouldn't it be a pity if you fell?"

Immediately, he drew a shimmering blade from his belt and pointed it across the bridge. "I challenge you to a jousting duel! We will take turns to cross the bridge continuously until one of us throws the other off the edge!"

Lamatte was surprised by Stephano's sudden confrontation, and peered down into the gorge, where a river was rushing rapidly between sharp, icy rocks.

"What's the matter? Are you scared?" Stephano cackled. "Don't worry. Newton here will be refereeing to make sure nobody steps out of line."

Newton grinned. Lamatte noticed that he was still holding the Lightning Rod firmly in his grip. Lamatte drew his own sword and grimaced fiercely from across the bridge.

"That's the spirit!" Stephano cheered. "The duel will begin when I mount my horse."

Wearing a bear fur coat over his usual red waistcoat, he climbed onto Laurus's back. Lamatte readied his shield and placed his helmet on his head. Stephano did the same. Newton approached the edge of the bridge and held out the rod. "Let the duel...begin!"

Aurarius reared and charged across the seemingly narrow wooden bridge. Laurus also charged, and Lamatte watched Stephano's anticipating grin as they galloped towards each other. Both swords were held high, until they met in the centre.

Stephano swung his saber wildly, and Lamatte had to duck to dodge it. When he raised his head, Laurus was already far behind them, running to the distant side of the bridge. Aurarius reached the other side, and found Newton and Fulgaria blocking the exit. Lamatte glared at them warily before rotating and sprinting across the bridge once again.

The cycle continued under the twilit sky until dusk, both of them gaining and losing a few blows. Lamatte could tell that Stephano was becoming weary, yet he was also tired of racing back and forth. Still, they both readied their swords for another charge.

They clashed in the middle, and Stephano brought down his sword. Lamatte deflected it with his shield, and the sheer force sent Stephano backwards, until he fell from his horse. Laurus and Aurarius galloped on until they reached the end of the bridge. Lamatte turned to where he had watched Stephano fall. A pair of hands were still gripping the edge of the bridge. Lamatte dismounted his horse and strolled over smugly.

He arrived and the centre of the bridge and gazed down upon Stephano's terrified eyes. "Lamatte, please! Don't let me fall!"

"It's that the whole point of the duel?" he grinned slyly.

Stephano's legs were flailing over the deep, dark chasm. For the first time in his life, he appeared weak and helpless. "Lamatte..." he panted. "...please."

Lamatte glanced sideways at Newton, but he did not stir. The mountain winds were still blowing, and the sun had set. He then looked down at Stephano once more, and knew he could not hang on any longer. A hand reached down and pulled him from his plight.

"Thank you." Stephano murmured, seemingly gratified. He then rushed to his horse and quickly mounted it. "Come on, Newton! We have a race to win!"

"Oh, did you say 'we'? I think you mean 'I'."

Stephano was puzzled. "Newton, what are you talking about?"

"Don't you remember when you left me at Elevant Falls?" Newton growled. "Well I certainly do! And there certainly wasn't any 'we'!"

Fulgaria stepped closer to the edge of the gorge, and Newton's face was darkened. "I tried to avenge myself when I dismantled your weapon. But you didn't seem to get the message. Well, it's my weapon now. And it shall be [I]my[/I] victory!"

Newton held the rod skyward and light gathered around the tip. Lamatte watched, completely astonished by his malice, as he brought the electrically charged rod down.

"Newton, you can't do this!" Stephano yelled.

Newton laughed cruelly and slashed the ropes of the bridge. They ignited instantly, and began to burn up. There was a snap, and Aurarius shrieked in terror, and ran towards Lamatte. Laurus tried to reverse, but the bridge was too narrow. They watched Newton mount Fulgaria and gallop away, just before the bridge cracked in half and they fell to their dooms...

The water was ice cold, and Lamatte was frozen to the bone. He heard multiple splashes around him as the others fell into the river. Despite the temperature, Lamatte managed to keep himself paddling above the water, and he could see Aurarius and Laurus spluttering and snorting as they were carried by the current. Without caring where Stephano was, Lamatte followed them downstream.

The river was fast moving, and hazardous rocks spiked out of the water and acted as obstacles which they had to avoid. The flow of the river suddenly became faster, and froth was forming on the surface. He quickly realised that the river was unsafe, and they were being swept away by the rapids.

Twisting and turning, coughing and choking, Lamatte found himself on an uncontrollable journey down the river, where he lost his vision and breath every time his body was submerged by the weight of his armour. He thumped into a few rocks until he felt the water disappear from under his feet. He had fallen over a waterfall and landed in a calmer pool of water.

Now he had regained his sight, Lamatte paddled over towards a pebble-dotted shore. He coughed the cold fluids from his lungs as he lay face down on the beach. The water behind him flowed into a cave beneath the mountain, presumably west to Elevant Falls. Lamatte sighed. He had retreated backwards along the route. Surely there was no chance of winning the race now?

A warm shape prodded his dripping wet hair. It was a damp snout, Lamatte realised, that belonged to a Meadow White which stood on the shore beside him. Aurarius. Even after the trauma of the rapids, he had made it here to be with his master. Lamatte smiled and stood up to stroke him, but their reunion was interrupted by a nearby groaning.

Stephano lay on the shore, wearing no armour but his ruby red waistcoat, which was soaked through. He was spluttering beside another horse, a brick red Lokai. Laurus had also survived the fall, and was shaking his mane dry over his master's body.

"Stephano, we're alive!" Lamatte cheered.

Stephano lifted his head angrily, showing tears streaming down his face. "I know that, you idiot! But we've lost the race! All because of that bloody Newton!"

He stood up and kicked a pebble violently into the river, before sobbing again. Lamatte groaned. "You should be thankful that you survived, as well as your horse!"

The two men stood for a while, lost and confused. Lamatte retrieved his map from his backpack, but like the rest of his equipment, it was soaking wet, illegible and useless. He tossed it away grumpily and it landed in the grass. Grass?

He glanced up and saw a rocky slope, with a few patches of grass leading up to a tree, which flourished in the moonlight. He gazed up at the night sky and identified the Big Dipper.

"Stephano, look!" he pointed excitedly. "If we follow that constellation, we can head north towards the City!"

Stephano looked up and frowned, but realised that Lamatte was right. "Are you saying we could make it to the finish?"

"It's worth a try."

Unexpectedly, Lamatte held out his hand. Stephano stared at it for a while in disbelief, but eventually understood. Without exchanging words, he shook it and they both mounted their horses. "We can still make it!" he said encouragingly. "Newton doesn't have a map, so he doesn't know the way!"

"But neither do we."

"But you have a compass." Stephano smiled and pointed to the stars. "You know which way to go."

Lamatte grinned and they ascended the slope towards the tree, filled with a new hope and a new friendship.

When they reached the top of the hill, they found themselves on the very edge of the Kukantican Mountains. They heard the songs of night birds and crickets, and realised they were now in the wilderness.

Still guided by the stars, Laurus and Aurarius trekked over the hills and towards the colder winds of the north, away from the sound of the rushing river. There was not a person in sight, and they began to make conversation.

"I knew there was something suspicious about the way he dismantled the Lightning Rod!" Stephano growled. "I should have seen it from the start!"

"Well, you must have upset him." Lamatte added. "You left him in a pool of water alone while you continued to climb the waterfall."

"That's exactly what he's just done to us!"

The hills evened out to a gentle climb, and the horses found their hooves clopping along a cobbled road. Ahead of them, parked beneath the moonlight, was a random cart, filled with numerous crates. There was a wooden sign beside it and both riders approached to read it.

"It says that this road leads to the City of Honour!" Stephano cried, triumphantly.

"Not for another 2 miles." Lamatte pointed out. As he gazed into the distance for any sign of life, Stephano's eyes rested upon the abandoned cart. Stepping off his horse, he glared at the crate, greedily. Maybe there were supplies inside? Treasures, even?

Lamatte turned and saw Stephano with his hands on the crate, but before he could object, Stephano had already lifted the lid. To his dismay, the crate was empty and bare. "What's the deal with this?!" he hissed. "No wonder this thing was abandoned."

Suddenly, a sharp object whooshed past his face and collided with the sign. Lamatte pulled an arrow from the wood and observed it with suspicion. Then, another came and hit Aurarius's flank, causing him to cry out in agony.

"Who's there?!" Lamatte yelled. "Come out, coward!"

Two darkened faces emerged from the other side of the hill, each holding crossbows. One was smaller than the other, and as they came nearer, Lamatte recognised them. Vendric and Purchan stood before the two men, looking displeased and irritated. "Don't you know not to touch what's not yours?"

"Who the hell are you?" Stephano sneered, but Lamatte held him back.

"They're rogue traders." he explained. "They were the Merchants in the Taiga Forest."

"How dare you call us frauds, when you attempt to steal other people's property?" Purchan squeaked angrily.

"Luckily, we don't have any stock for you to steal, since our previous shop burnt down." Vendric winced at the thought. He then raised his crossbow to Lamatte's face. "You're both contestants for the Derresse Adventure Tour, aren't you? WHERE'S MY HORSE?!"

He shoved the arrow towards Lamatte's eyes, and Purchan had to pull him away with the help of Stephano. "I don't know what you're talking about!" he exclaimed.

"You know perfectly well that my Trading Horse has been stolen! Now tell me! Was it the girl? Or the boy?"

"It wasn't Lamatte, that's for sure!" Stephano snapped, and grabbed the crossbow from his hands. "Now take your cart and go!"

"Hey, you're the one who destroyed the forest!" Purchan squealed in horror. "You've ruined our business! You nearly murdered our horse!"

"If it wasn't for me, you're horse would have been left to die!" Lamatte hissed. "You have no right to treat an animal in such a terrible way!"

"How can you side with this _monster_?" Purchan gasped.

"Just shut up, will you!" Stephano groaned, and pushed Purchan so hard that he fell back and hit his head on the sign. Lying lifeless, the remaining three stared in shock. Vendric looked up at Stephano and snatched the crossbow from the ground.

"Get the horses!" Stephano cried as Vendric entered a psychopathic rage. Lamatte obeyed. Vendric was now chasing Stephano across the road with the crossbow, until Lamatte called him back. With a mighty leap, Stephano landed in the saddle of Laurus, and the pair sped away down the road, leaving the two merchants in despair.

The City of Honour was as bright as a campfire in the desolate Kukantican Mountains, which attracted traders like a moth to a flame.

From atop the Kukantican Hills, Lamatte and Stephano had a clear view of the finish line: a tall metallic crimson tower, which pointed to the sky like a beacon. With a mutual nod, both horses headed down into the valley where the City lay under the night sky.

Before they even reached the gates of the city, the sound of music and festivity overwhelmed them. There was nobody guarding the gate, and they were greeted only by the message; '_Honour lies in honest toil_.' which was engraved on a golden plaque above the red archway. Laurus and Aurarius galloped through, sensing victory within.

The streets were lined with red flags and banners, citizens cheering and applauding the two riders. Suddenly, Lamatte realised just how important and significant the tournament was to the people of Derresse. As he glanced sideways, he saw Stephano lapping up the attention, waving his palms like a royal figurehead. He thought it would be best to remain still until they had crossed the finish line.

The road was a direct path leading to the crimson tower, which was presumably _The Joyous Lantern_ hotel. Amongst the noise of the crowds and ceremony, a thought crossed Lamatte's mind as he remembered the three friends he had left at Elevant Lake? Would they ever make it here? Or was what Jerry had foreseen true?

The finish line was now in sight; a gigantic banner which hung over the streets, with golden lettering that dazzled, indicating the end of the trials and sacrifices they had endured. Lamatte noticed that Stephano did not accelerate. He was going to stay beside him til the end.

But as they approached the finish line, Lamatte felt a peculiar ominous darkness which overshadowed their victory. Three figures stood below he finish line, and a sudden realisation occurred to him. The audience were not cheering them...they were applauding the real winner.

The gleaming golden trophy was resting in the arms of a beaming old man. "And the winner of the Derresse Annual Adventure Tour is..."

The words fell out of his mouth as the two horses crossed the line. The grin was quickly wiped from Stephano's face as the pain sunk in. Another man stood beside the old man, holding the reigns of a grey Lokai, grinning triumphantly as Lamatte and Stephano arrived.

"NEWTON!"

The crowds erupted in applause as the name was said. Lamatte and Stephano felt their hearts sink as the trophy was exchanged into Newton's welcoming hands. He held the trophy high as a certificate was presented to him by another man with bold spectacles. It was over. Newton had succeeded in his revenge and won the tournament.

Then, as though from beyond the Kukantican Mountains, Lamatte heard the sound of hooves echoing in his ears. The crowd were still celebrating, and Stephano was now sobbing, but the sound grew louder above them. He turned round on his saddle to see another horse approaching quickly, wearing a red cap and carrying two people.

"Wait!" yelled a voice. The celebrations halted and gradually faded to silence. Newton stopped gloating and Stephano stopped sobbing as the horse arrived at the finish line.

It was steered by a tall, broad man with short black hair and a beard who was completely unfamiliar to them. Though what surprised them more was when a short woman with white hair stepped down from behind him. Vivian Victorian placed her round glasses to her face as she stormed over to the podium with her clipboard gripped tightly in her hands.

"This man...'Newton'," she scowled, and pressed her finger against the parchment on her clipboard. "He's not registered as a participant in this tournament!"

The crowd gasped in unison, and began to hiss and murmur at the news. Lamatte, Stephano and Newton all stood opened mouthed as Mrs Victorian confirmed it with the other two men. The beaming man, now looking puzzled and disgruntled, spoke to the audience.

"It seems there has been a mistake. This man is in fact not registered on the list of participants, and is therefore denied victory."

Before he could object, the trophy and certificate were quickly snatched from his arms by the man in similar spectacles to the smug looking woman with the clipboard.

"So now it seems, the trophy should be awarded to second place!" the presenter continued.

Stephano and Lamatte looked to one another, eagerly as they awaited the decision of the jury gathered at the finish line.

"So the winner of the Derresse Annual Adventure Tour is...RUBY!"

As if summoned, Ruby and Folia appeared from the doors of the hotel, wearing red ribbons and flowers. She bowed and accepted the trophy and certificate before raising them in the air in triumph. As the celebrations were fueled once again, Stephano and Lamatte stood, shocked and disturbed, almost shaking with disappointment.

Newton turned and ran for the doors of the hotel, with tears streaming down his face. Aurarius and Laurus were led back to the stables, and Lamatte and Stephano entered the hotel for a celebratory feast.

The interior of the hotel was a marvellous marble emporium, decorated in red and gold banners, the colours of victory and honour. The three organisers; the smiling man, the spectacled man and Mrs Victorian had arranged a giant table laid with a banquet for the successors.

But it seemed that many residents of the city, rich and wealthy, had also come to join the feast, and were gathered in the centre pouring champagne and toasting. When Lamatte and Stephano spotted the trays of food, they sprinted and seized them hungrily. As they guzzled their way through the meal, the spectacled man approached them.

"I must congratulate you also for completing the race." he said quietly. "Those trials weren't easy, and I cannot bare to think of those we have lost."

"Sixteen." Lamatte stated. "That's how many didn't make it to the finish line."

"And Newton wasn't even supposed to participate!" Stephano snarled with a mouthful of cake.

"Yes, poor fellow...you don't know how awful I felt to retrieve the certificate from him." the man sighed. "My name is Montgomery Victorian, by the way, husband of Vivian. She wasn't too pleased either."

"Is she ever?" Stephano mumbled, but Lamatte overcame his words.

"It was a stupid thing to do. I bet he feels stupid for betraying you."

"So he should! Without me, he wouldn't have been able to invent the Lightning Rod!"

"Shouldn't you go and get it back from him?" Lamatte asked. "And while you're there, apologise for being so selfish towards him."

"Selfish?! He betrayed me!"

"But you did just the same. Remember at Elevant Falls?"

Stephano stopped chewing as pity occurred. He took the cake and placed it back onto the table, to Mr Victorian's displeasure. "You're right. We should pretend this never happened."

He dashed off to find Newton, leaving Lamatte with Mr Victorian. The dull eyes behind the spectacles looked to the beaming man at the banquet wearing rich red drapes. "That man over there is the manager of this hotel; Ricco. He's a real party animal, and the main patron of this tournament. Do you know that he is also the father of young Stephano?"

"Really?" Lamatte said gobsmacked. "Why didn't he say anything?"

"Ricco and his sons are not on good terms at the moment, since they both left home to travel the world, spending most of his money. It's ironic, really, because spending his own money is something he loves to do. I suspect Stephano entered the tournament just to spite his father if he won."

Lamatte turned his gaze from the wealthy hotel owner to the girl holding the trophy beside him as they posed for pictographs. Without another word to Mr Victorian, he glided over to congratulate her on her victory.

"Congratulations!" he said, offering his hand. "You managed to beat all eighteen of the registered competitors!"

Ruby smiled, but ignored the gesture. "At least you managed to cross the finish line. I didn't expect you to." She winked and continued to admire her trophy.

"But...how did you get here so fast?" Lamatte asked curiously. "I was right behind Newton the whole time."

"Let's just say I used a few shortcuts..."

As they sat in an awkward silence, Lamatte gazed at her glossy black hair in awe. He realised that he would probably never see that hair again. Unless...

He finally plucked up the courage and mumbled timidly. "I don't suppose...you would mind coming no a date with me?"

"Oh..." Ruby gasped. "I'm really sorry, Lamatte, but...I'm already in a relationship."

Immediately, a man stood up from the banquet. It was the same bearded man who had arrived with Mrs Victorian who approached them. He was taller and older than Lamatte, and slightly intimidating, but he seemed friendly as he put his arm around Ruby.

"So you've finally finished with the pictographers?" he laughed. "I was hoping I could be in one of the shots."

"Never mind..." she smiled. "Tyger, this is Lamatte. He came joint second."

Tyger held out his hand and shook Lamatte's gladly. "I bet you didn't think you'd be beaten by a woman!" he winked, before being slapped on the forearm. "So what are we going to spend all that money on?"

"I was thinking that maybe we could finalise out engagement?"

The pair clutched each other romantically, leaving Lamatte feeling embarrassed and foolish. He looked to the ring on his left finger and wondered who would own it after his death. Would he ever give it away?

Ruby smiled sympathetically at him, and Lamatte smiled back before turning away towards the banquet. There were three people stood before him, all looking cold and hungry.

"You made it!" Lamatte cheered to Bella, Jerry and Julius.

"As did you." said Jerry. "I must say, it's been an eventful night."

"Yes, we found that the bridge was destroyed, and could only guess who was behind it." Julius sniffed. Six hateful eyes turned to Stephano and Newton who sat at the banquet.

"Wait, it wasn't like that!" Lamatte explained the whole incident of the duel, and how Newton had betrayed them only to be disappointed when he crossed the line.

Bella stepped forward and hugged Lamatte tightly. "This is probably the last time I will see you again."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Jerry smiled.

Before any further conversation could be made, there was a loud chiming of glass, and the party glanced up to the hotel owner to hear his long awaited speech.

"As owner of the Joyous Lantern, I would just like to say congratulations to all those who made it here. The trials that were set were both challenging and exhausting, but you still overcame those tasks and completed the race. However, let us also remember those who did not make it here, for reasons unknown. This tournament is a survival of the fittest. Only those courageous, cunning and capable enough would pass, and that is why you are here today. So let us toast ourselves, the winner and the other finalists, who are all invited to another celebration at my home in Tracsus. To the Derresse Annual Adventure Tour."

Every glass in the house was raised and the seven finalists smiled for the pictobox held by Mr Victorian, for a group pictograph. Once the gathering had dispersed, Lamatte decided to approach Ricco himself.

"Excuse me, Sir, but where is this party that you've invited us to?"

"In the _Ferris Bridge Hotel_ of Tracsus, just on the outskirts of the City of Knowledge. It is another part of my chain, and it is the place I like to live on a permanent basis. You can make it, can't you?"

"Absolutely." Lamatte nodded with glee. "I have another question to ask you: does this card grant me a free stay at this hotel?"

Lamatte presented the royal red card which Wickson had given him out of pity many months ago. Ricco's eyes narrowed at the sight of the shining plastic. "Where did you get that?"

"From a friend." he answered innocently. "It's a Resort Card, right?"

"Indeed..." Ricco said with suspicion. "I suppose it does grant you a free stay. But I want you gone by morning. It's a long journey to Tracsus. You may have to stop at many more of my hotel along the way!"

"I'll be sure to." Lamatte grinned. He pocketed the card and bid him farewell. While the party was still in full swing, he decided to slip outside to visit the stables alone.

Inside the cosy wooden stable which connected to the hotel, all seven horses were seemingly discussing the race with each other. They hesitated as Lamatte entered, but he strolled straight towards Aurarius, who was stood beside Folia.

"I just thought I'd come and tell you-I'm staying the night in the hotel. That will give you and your friend time to bond. You won't be seeing her for a long time, so make the most of it."

Aurarius understood, and nodded with acceptance. Lamatte smiled and continued to stroke his mane. "I also came to say well done. It doesn't matter if we didn't win. I couldn't have made it here without you. You're the best steed a knight could wish for."


End file.
